It is possible to reduce infection frequency by vaccination and education in splenectomized patients. The purpose of this study was
to evaluate vaccination history and knowledge about vaccination in patients who had undergone splenectomy in Ege University
Hospital between 2004 and 2006. Of 72 patients who were splenectomized, 36 could be inluded in the study. Of these 36 15
(41.7%) were vaccinated with Streptococcus pneumoniae vaccine in the presurgery period, 12 in the postsurgery period. Two
patients were vaccinated twice, both in the pre and post-surgery periods. The fact that ten cases were not vaccinated even with
pneumococcal vaccine, that patients vaccinated with S. pneumoniae vaccine had received different dosage regimens and that lack
of giving information about vaccination against other diseases suggest that both physicians and patients need further education on
the subject.